Axed Haas Formula 1 driver Nikita Mazepin and his father Dmitry have been added to the list of Russian people subject to sanctions by the European Union.
Nikita Mazepin lost his Haas F1 drive last week and his father’s company was stripped of its title sponsorship as the American team reacted to the invasion of Ukraine ordered by Russian president Vladimir Putin.
That came amid mounting sanctions on Russian businesses, individuals and athletes as various countries, organisations and sports federations moved to react strongly to Putin’s war.
Mazepin’s father Dmitry is one of Russia’s wealthiest businessmen and had a business meeting with Putin earlier this year and been called by the president to the Moscow Kremlin alongside 36 others on the day of the Ukraine invasion.
According to the official journal of the European Union, both Mazepins are among 14 persons “supporting and benefitting from the Government of the Russian Federation or providing a substantial source of revenue to it or associated with listed persons or entities” added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies being hit with “restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine”.
This may include travel restrictions and the freezing of funds and economic resources.
The journal notes that Dmitry Mazepin is “involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the Government of the Russian Federation, which is responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilisation of Ukraine”.
It notes his presence in the meeting held by Putin “and other members of the Russian government” as proof he is “shows that he is a member of the closest circle of Vladimir Putin and that he is supporting or implementing actions or policies which undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, as well as stability and security in Ukraine”.
“It also shows that he is one of the leading business persons involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the Government of Russia, which is responsible for the annexation of Crimea and destabilisation of Ukraine,” the journal notes.
As for Nikita Mazepin, who is listed as a Haas F1 driver in the list but has not held that distinction since his contract was terminated last Saturday, the journal notes that he is “associated with a leading businessperson [his father] involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the Government of the Russian Federation, which is responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilisation of Ukraine.”
Earlier on Wednesday Uralkali, a subsidiary of Mazepin Sr’s Uralchem company, announced it is willing to take legal action to get Haas to refund the sponsorship it paid in advance of the 2022 season.
According to Uralkali, “most” of its sponsorship had already been paid to Haas and it is to request the “immediate reimbursement of the amounts received by Haas”.
Nikita Mazepin also had a press conference in which he claimed he was given no advanced notice of Haas’s “unilateral” decision to end his contract but failed to directly answer several questions about Putin and Russia’s war on Ukraine.
